However a few of singer/guitarist Bob Mould‘s finest music occurred after Hüsker Dü – as evidenced by his work with Sugar and as a solo artist all through the ’90s. And he continues to supply up memorable and impressed music to this present day, as evidenced by his fifteenth solo effort general, Right here We Go Loopy.
Mould spoke with AllMusic a month earlier than the March 7, 2025 launch of Right here We Go Loopy, and was up for looking again all through his profession, in addition to the story behind his newest solo effort.
It has been 4 years between Right here We Go Loopy and your final launch, Blue Hearts. Why so lengthy?
“I feel, like many of the world, I received slightly knocked off my regular cycle. Usually, my cycles for my total grownup life, give or take just a few months right here and there, is months of writing a file, then a time frame to file a file, then, {that a} bizarre time frame the place I’ve turned in my homework, however no person will get to take a look at it. And that is the interval that you simply and I are in at the moment – the press and the all that stuff. After which there’s the discharge, after which there is a tour. So, Blue Hearts had a plan that was constructed precisely that method, however with out touring, every little thing kind of froze in place.”
“I’m the form of musician who actually appreciates performing and getting suggestions on new materials, and I kind of misplaced that a part of my MO for what, a few yr and a half. I do not assume I used to be in a position to get out and do exhibits till the autumn of ’21. So, spending a lifetime in that form of repetitive cycle and having it damaged, I used to be slightly bit little bit misplaced with, ‘I’m wondering if these things’s any good?’ That final little little bit of suggestions was lacking. I used to be writing by means of ’20 and ’21 with some combined outcomes. I used to be a bit preoccupied with different stuff. Y’know, staying alive I suppose being the principle one. So I feel that is a part of the drag in time.”
“I imply, I feel the stuff that I used to be writing throughout that interval wasn’t…I had a pair good songs – ‘Respiratory Room’ was an early music, ‘When Your Coronary heart Is Damaged’ was a fairly early music. But it surely wasn’t top quality output all the best way round. Simply in a time like that, I’ve realized from expertise, if you happen to rush it, it is most likely not going to be your finest work. So, simply wait. Simply maintain working and it will all come into focus. And thru ’22 and thru ’23, I used to be out doing quite a lot of solo electrical work and making an attempt out new stuff.”
“Type of rebuilding that reference to the viewers and getting an excellent sense of how Blue Hearts hit them, how the brand new materials that I used to be enjoying was becoming subsequent to the catalog. And that was the form of stuff that was lacking. So once I was getting that, then every little thing begins to line up slightly bit higher. I do know that is an excellent lengthy reply to a quite simple query, nevertheless it was an extended break. I used to be tremendous busy with touring in ’22/’23, and a good bit of ’24. It is simply now that it feels just like the cycles are again. The cycle, so to talk, is again in place.”
Let’s focus on the observe “Right here We Go Loopy” and its video.
“The video was shot and directed by a gentleman named Gus Black. And the brand new file firm, effectively, the brand new mum or dad firm, BMG, had labored with Gus prior to now. I noticed a bunch of his work and actually related with it. And Gus and I talked for like an hour and stated, ‘Yeah, let’s attempt to make this video. Let’s do that, and do that, and perhaps do this if we now have slightly further time.’ We shot every little thing within the completely different desert places in Southern California. And I feel Gus did an incredible job. It is a very cool video. I had quite a lot of enjoyable working with him.”
“The music itself, effectively, it is the title observe. And very similar to the title observe from Sunshine Rock, or the title observe from Sgt. Pepper, it was…because the recording was wrapping up, it grew to become fairly clear to me that that can be the opening for the file. I had different songs in thoughts to be the opener, however that one turned out actually nice, and it felt like the easiest way to introduce folks to the remainder of the album. To kind of set a time and a spot and a location and a sentiment. It is similar to that, ‘We hope you’ll benefit from the present’ form of factor.”
“When Your Coronary heart Is Damaged” I believed is a standout observe on the album, too.
“That is an excellent one. That is an instantaneous basic for me, proper? Mid-tempo, super-pop catchy guitars with super-depressing lyrics. [Laughs] That is kind of my specialty, I suppose. However ‘Right here We Go Loopy’ is attention-grabbing, as a result of it is quite a lot of like, small snapshots of what I have been as much as the previous few years, and issues that I am simply making an attempt to kind of set this huge open house for folks. And simply exhibiting folks bodily places, specific objects that come to thoughts, recurring themes.”
“The title is, gosh, perhaps I ought to put a slogan mark on ‘Right here We Go Loopy,’ in order that some chain restaurant does not steal it. [Laughs] But it surely’s a kind of titles, proper? It is a good one and who knew by placing out the observe on January eighth, that it might be considerably well timed in a common sense. I did not see that coming.”
I’ve at all times discovered the ’90s to be a really attention-grabbing a part of your profession, together with Sugar and your solo work. What do you recall about that period specifically?
“If I have a look at ’89/’90 – Workbook and Black Sheets of Rain –Workbook was undoubtedly an announcement of intent. ‘I’m not simply the man from Hüsker Dü.’ Black Sheets to me was kind of a reimagining of what [bassist] Tony Maimone and the late [drummer] Anton Fier dropped at Workbook, and what all of the touring from Workbook received us to this heavier, louder model. And that was Black Sheets. And after that file ran its course and I parted methods with Virgin Data, the purpose in 1991 to me was to only begin writing what I hoped can be the very best file I may presumably write.”
“I used to be on the street, continuously doing solo acoustic exhibits. I might play for 3 weeks and check out new materials. I would go dwelling for a pair weeks, write extra stuff. I would return out for an additional three weeks. And this was all kind of planting seeds for what was to return. That is the figuring out the fabric in entrance of the folks to gauge what’s good and what’s not. After which by the tip of ’91 it grew to become clear to me which file firms would have an interest, what sort of construction would work.”
“And January ’92 is me and David Barbe and Malcolm Travis – the three of us rehearsing and studying 30 songs behind a tire store in Downtown Athens, Georgia, with the intent of creating the third Bob Mould solo album. And we received requested to do a present at 40 Watt the night time earlier than we began heading as much as suburban Boston, to file the album. And determined we should always give it a band title, and we got here up with the title Sugar. That is kind of how that every one began.”
“The subsequent three years was a whirlwind. I knew Copper Blue and Beaster had been actually good information. I did not foresee being the beneficiary of, y’know, I suppose the wave of grunge that basically picked up steam when Nevermind got here out. And I feel, kind of ‘reverse engineering’ why that file was profitable – it might take you to the Pixies, that will take you to Hüsker Dü. As like, only a small proportion of what made that file nice. I feel the roads had been already paved in a method.”
“I didn’t see the moment success of Sugar because it was occurring. I imply, the second I suppose I knew, was we did a pair exhibits in London in late July/early August of ’92, and considered one of them was at ULU – the College of London Scholar Union Constructing. And it was only a fully unhinged, insane present. Elements of the PA falling into the group, nutty stage diving – simply insanity that I hadn’t seen in years. And I may kind of really feel it – ‘That is taking off, and we’ve not even put the file out.’ In order that was fairly thrilling.”
“We ran onerous and quick. In ’94, the recording of File Below Straightforward Listening, I used to be operating so quick that I did not have a totally superb file written. However, we went with what we had. After which by the tip of ’94, the band was wrapping up. And I feel our final present was in Sendai, Japan in January of ’95. After which I retreated quietly, understanding that that venture was carried out. I saved writing music. Recorded an album – a few of it at dwelling, a few of it in a small studio in Austin – and that grew to become the eponymous album that quite a lot of us name Hubcap.”
“I didn’t intend to tour on that file. The ask from Pete Townshend to open a pair exhibits of his in New York within the spring of ’96 received me fascinated about getting out and dealing once more, and went out and did quite a lot of solo touring. After which ’98 was The Final Canine and Pony Present, and by the point I received there, I used to be beginning to get stressed for one thing new in my very own life. Not my skilled life, however my private life. I had moved again to New York Metropolis and was integrating with the LGBTQ group greater than I ever had. So I used to be enriching my life in that path, and thought, ‘Perhaps this might be an excellent time to cease being solely the rock man who’s on the street in a van for his complete life.'”
“And in order that that notion of stepping away from rock touring with that file, that was 100% in earnest, that I simply felt like, ‘I am gonna take a break right here, and I am gonna construct this different life that I by no means actually took the time to construct.’ I feel that is it in a nutshell. There’s the professional wrestling stuff within the fall of ’99 by means of spring of 2000 – that kind of ran parallel to my homosexual life in New York, my curiosity in digital music. A number of issues had been shifting. To go write professional wrestling [music] and begin writing digital music, that finally led me to DJing for many of the aughts. I knew I needed to vary, I did not know what kind it might precisely take, nevertheless it all got here collectively fairly effectively. Naturally, I feel.”
The Sugar music “Your Favourite Factor” is a ’90s alt-rock basic. What do you recall about writing that music?
“Actual tremendous riff, tremendous catchy. I do not assume that one took lengthy to put in writing. Which may have been like, a half hour music. Which, quite a lot of the great ones are. However I simply thought it was a extremely cool signature riff. It is kind of in that basic ‘Sugar tempo’ – y’know, the 120s to 130s. Simply these kind of onerous driving 4 on the ground pop songs. The lyrics, there’s nothing revelatory within the phrases. However hopefully the best way that they had been constructed is attention-grabbing. Good music, although.”
Earlier than you stated one thing that I completely agree with: “The roads had been already paved” earlier than Nirvana’s Nevermind hit. As a result of I’ve at all times felt that bands such because the Pixies, REM, Hüsker Dü, and several other others from the 80s undoubtedly helped set the stage for different rock’s huge breakthrough within the early ’90s. Do you see that on the time?
“I feel I noticed it when Sugar received actually huge. I used to be like, ‘Oh yeah, we did this.’ [Laughs] On the threat of the sound of me patting myself on the again being louder than my voice. And I imply Mudhoney, Meat Puppets…there’s so many issues that received into Nevermind, proper? However yeah, I feel I knew, by the point Sugar was blowing up that if I had any doubts about what perhaps had occurred prior to now, then I feel that was kind of like, ‘Oh yeah. That is proper.‘”
What had been your impressions of listening to Nevermind for the primary time?
“Effectively, I had the demos as a result of I used to be in competition for producing the file. I didn’t have the demo of ‘Teen Spirit’ – I do not know if there was one, and I do not know if anyone received it, if there was. However I keep in mind sitting with Gary Gersh at Geffen, and it got here up. Historical past went the best way it did, and it was completely the precise method. Butch Vig was anyone that I labored with again in ’84. Butch is superb. And it was an ideal match for what the songs on Nevermind had been. And every little thing went precisely because it ought to. [Laughs] Y’know, Butch does that, they blow up, after which it is kind of like, ‘Oh, now I’ve received this E-ZPass for the toll street I could have had a hand in constructing.'” [Laughs]
How necessary was MTV and 120 Minutes for alt-rock artists within the ’90s?
“MTV, typically – and Matt Pinfield and 120 Minutes, particularly – did a lot to raise all of us that had been making that form of guitar-driven music within the early ’90s. It was so necessary. There have been different exhibits earlier than it – a present again within the ’80s, The Reducing Edge. I keep in mind that as a result of there was one episode, it was the primary time the Smiths had been on TV in America, I feel. There was one thing with Morrissey speaking.
I keep in mind going to see Stone Temple Pilots in 2000 or one thing with a buddy. And after like, the thirteenth music, I checked out my buddy like, ‘These are all Stone Temple Pilots songs?’ I had heard all of those songs endlessly, however I did not know who they had been.
“And that very same episode, Hüsker Dü was on, as effectively. There was kind of a trampoline or basis being set already earlier than 120 Minutes. However yeah, 120 Minutes was the place that every one of us needed to be. It was the place the place everybody discovered about new music. It was the best way to get there. No query about it.”
“There have been quite a lot of radio stations that had been round. School stations, after which stations like WLIR in New York. So, that was all a part of constructing the firmament, as effectively. It was an extended course of. It did not simply occur out of skinny air. And WBCN, and Matt was DJing down in South Jersey. So, that late ’80s by means of ’91/’92, all of that was essential infrastructure, as effectively. It is simply humorous – you recognize this and I do know this – however there’s kind of a ‘mainstream historical past,’ like, ‘There was all this hair steel, after which Nevermind got here, and it modified.’ There was lots of people who did quite a lot of work to get to that time.”
Who’re a few of your favourite ’90s alt-rock artists?
“Not many. [Laughs] I imply, I’ve quite a lot of respect for Pearl Jam and Nirvana. I keep in mind going to see Stone Temple Pilots in 2000 or one thing with a buddy. And after like, the thirteenth music, I checked out my buddy like, ‘These are all Stone Temple Pilots songs?’ I had heard all of those songs endlessly, however I did not know who they had been.”
“Throughout the ‘Sugar years,’ the bands that jumped out to me would have been my UK label mates, like Swervedriver. Or the Boo Radleys, who came visiting and toured with Sugar. However the largest one to me was My Bloody Valentine. I maintain ready for anyone to prime Loveless. There have been information since then which have gotten near that stage…however that was like a beacon of sunshine of what will be carried out with this manner. So, that will be the one which I might at all times go to.”
“Swervedriver being up there on the prime, as effectively. The best way that Adam [Franklin] and Jimmy [Hartridge] method songwriting and placing stuff collectively and the sounds of their information was actually good, as effectively. It was simply the guitar interaction, Adam’s voice, the songwriting was actually advanced…nevertheless it stayed actually catchy. And I knew about these guys from like, ’88, after they had been referred to as Shake Attraction – as a result of they despatched me the demos that grew to become Son of Mustang Ford. I’m going method again with them, and I am an enormous fan. I at all times sing their praises. And so they received new stuff – the brand new stuff is fairly cool, too. There is a observe that got here out perhaps three weeks in the past. It is nonetheless received all the earmarks. So, it is nice.”
What can followers anticipate from the upcoming tour?
“The touring for ‘Right here We Go Loopy’ within the US, it is precisely what you’d anticipate. It is me, and me and the rhythm part which have been on the final six information. It is simply going to be a pleasant celebration of this file. I might counsel that it is going to be a celebration of all six information that we recorded collectively. I would wish to put the highlight on that – which the three of us did collectively, and simply actually focus into that. I imply, I’ve received a deep catalog – solo, Sugar, Hüsker Dü. I feel the meat and potatoes of the tour would be the six information that we made. And I feel every little thing else will most likely…do not quote me on this! [Laughs] Simply kidding – I feel these different parts of my songbook, that’ll be the spice, not the meat of it.”
